Molinaro Associates has answers to "Frequently Asked Questions"

Molinaro Associates is always ready to answer any concerns you might have about appraisals in Suffern and Rockland County.
Contact us today to talk about how we can help solve your specific valuation problems.

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The process of performing an appraisal report consists of an evaluation which leads to an opinion of value.
There are three "common approaches to value" which assists the real estate appraiser arrive at this opinion or estimate.
One of the processes in use is the Cost Approach, which is what it would cost to replace the improvements to the property, less the depreciation and physical deterioration, adding the land value.
Easily the most common approach in finding the value of a house is the Sales Comparison Approach which deals with making a comparison to similar homes nearby.
The Sales Comparison Approach is commonly the most definitive and best indicator of a liklely sales price for a residence.
The third approach is the Income Approach, which is the best method in appraising income producing properties - it deals with estimating what an investor would pay based on the income generated by the property.

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An appraiser provides a professional, unbiased assessment of market value, often in the context of a real estate exchange.
Appraisers illustate their professional investigation in appraisal reports.

The appraiser is not a home inspector and does not do a complete home inspection.
The point of a home inspection is to evaluate the structure of the property from basement to top.
The general property inspector's report will include an evaluation of the integrity of the house's heating systems, central air conditioning system (temperature permitting), interior plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic, and accessible insulation, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, the foundation, basement, and visible structure.

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Simply put, it's like comparing opera to country.
The CMA uses market trends to create most of their business.
The appraisal is reliant on specific definite comparable sales.
Location and construction costs are also precedent in an appraisal.
A CMA delivers a "ball park figure."
Being a documented and carefully investigated opinion of value, appraisals are defensible and stand up in legal situations.

The person creating the report is frankly the biggest difference between a CMA and an appraisal.
Real estate agents, who may not have a complete understanding of valuation methods or the entire market, generate CMA's.
The appraisal is created by a licensed, certified professional who has made a career out of valuing properties.
Further, the appraiser is an unbiased voice, with no conditional interest in the property's value, unlike the agent, whose income is tied to the price of the home.

Each appraisal must indicate a credible estimate of value and should identify the following:

Who engaged the appraiser and whose purposes the appraisal is to serve.

How the appraisal is supposed to be used.

The appraisal's purpose.

Precisely what "value" attribute is being reported and what that value means.

The effective date of the appraisal.(Sometimes this is in the past or maybe the future for new construction!)

Characteristics of the property that have a bearing on the value, including: location, physical characteristics, legal attributes, economic factors, the property rights valued, and non-real estate items included in the appraisal, such as personal property, items that are more or less permanently installed and even intangible items.

Any known easements, restrictions, encumbrances, leases, reservations, covenants, contracts, declarations, special assessments, ordinances, and the like.

Division of interest, such as fractional interest, physical segment and partial holding.

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In communicating an appraisal report, each appraiser must make sure of the following:

That the information analysis contained in the appraisal was suitable.

That substantial errors of omission or commission were not committed individually or collectively.

That appraisal services were rendered in a careful and cognizant fashion.

The final appraisal report was easy to explain, credible and not easily discredited.

There are rigorous classroom and on the job experience requirements that must be adhered to in order to get an appraisal license in New York.
Likewise, appraisers must obey a stringent industry code of ethics and observe national standards of practice for real estate appraisal. The tenets for working up an appraisal and reporting its results are guaranteed by enforcement of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

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Most of the time, appraisers are called upon by mortgage lenders to estimate the value of property involved in a loan transaction.
Appraisers also provide opinions in litigation cases, tax matters and investment decisions.

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One of the primary activities of an appraiser is to collect property data.
Data can be split into Specific or General. Specific data is gathered from the property itself; Location, condition, amenities, size and other specifics are documented by the appraiser during an inspection.

General data is gathered from a number of places.
Local Multiple Listing Services (MLS) provide information on recently sold homes that could be used as comparables.
Tax records and other courthouse documents reveal actual sales prices in a market.
Appraisers routinely have to report when a property lies in a flood zone, so that information is retrieved from a FEMA data outlet such as a la mode's InterFlood product.

And most importantly, the appraiser assembles general data from his or her past experience in creating appraisals for other properties in the same market.

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An appraisal is a worthwhile anytime your home's value is relevant to a financial decision.
If you're selling your house, an appraisal assists you in setting a price that maximizes profit and reduces time on the market.
When buying, be sure you're not overpaying by commissioning an independent appraisal.
If you're engaged in an estate settlement or divorce, it ensures that property is divided fairly.
A house is often the single, largest financial asset anybody owns. Knowing its true value is essential to making informed financial decisions.

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PMI is the common abbreviation for for Private Mortgage Insurance.
This added plan protects the lender if a borrower doesn't pay on the loan and the value of the house is less than the balance of the loan.
Once you can prove the amount you owe on your home is less than 80% of the home's market value, you can make a case to your lender to drop the PMI.

Does your monthly loan payment include a fee for PMI?Call Molinaro Associates today at 845-357-0300 or send us an e-mail. Documentation of your home's current value could save you thousands.

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The first step in most appraisals is the home inspection.
During this process, the appraiser will come to your home and measure it, determine the layout of the rooms inside, confirm all aspects of the home's general condition, and take several photos of your house for inclusion in the report.
Inside, pick up any clutter and make sure we can access things like furnaces and water heaters. In the yard, trim any bushes so we can be free to get an accurate measurement of outside walls.

To help expedite our work as well as ensure a more accurate report, try if possible to have the following items:

Any information on the purchase of the property for the last three years.

Written property agreements, such as a maintenance agreement for a shared driveway.

Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property.

"The most probable price (in terms of money) which a property should bring in a competitive and open market under all conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller each acting prudently and knowledgeably, and assuming the price is not affected by undue stimulus. Implicit in this definition is the consummation of a sale as of a specified date and the passing of title from seller to buyer under conditions whereby: the buyer and seller are typically motivated; both parties are well informed or well advised, and acting in what they consider their best interests; a reasonable time is allowed for exposure in the open market; payment is made in terms of cash in United States dollars or in terms of financial arrangements comparable thereto; and the price represents the normal consideration for the property sold unaffected by special or creative financing or sales concessions granted by anyone associated with the sale."

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In most real estate transactions, the appraisal is ordered by the lender.
Even though it's the buyer that eventually pays for the report, the lender is the intended user. The
buyer is certainly entitled to a copy of the appraisal - it's usually bundled with all the other closing documents - but is not allowed to use the report for any other purpose without permission from the lender.

The exception to this rule is when a home owner hires an appraiser directly.
In these scenarios, the appraiser may stipulate the purpose of the appraisal; for PMI removal, or estate planning or tax challenges, for example. If not stated otherwise, the home owner can use the appraisal for any purpose.

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This really depends on where the home is.
For example,
if you're in a neigborhood of small to medium priced homes, a media room may not be something people in that price range want

As a rule, the best ROI from renovating a home comes in the kitchen.
According to one national survey, kitchen remodels returned an average of 88% of the investment. In other words, a $10,000 kitchen remodeling project would add approximately $8,800 to the value of the home.
Bathrooms were second, yielding 85%.
On the contrary, an improvement that may not add value would be painting just for the sake of redecorating.